Mass. fisherman fined for disentangling whale
Published: October 1, 2009
Updated: October 2, 2009
BOSTON—A Cape Cod fisherman has been fined $500 for violating federal law by freeing a humpback whale that got tangled in his fishing gear.
Robert Eldridge of Chatham was sentenced in federal court in Boston on Wednesday for violating the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. He had faced a yearlong jail term
and up to $100,000 in fines in connection with the July 2008 incident, but reached a deal with prosecutors earlier this month.
Prosecutors said the 40-year-old Eldridge should have called properly licensed rescuers instead of freeing the marine mammal himself. The whale swam away.
Eldridge’s lawyer said as part of the plea, his client also issued a written warning to other fishermen to be vigilant for whales.
Reader Reactions
Don’t know much about the fishing industry, but it seems to me that the guy should be commended not fined.
How naive Max. If you were with the agents what did you see? Why is it obvious that they would have stopped him? What’s the fine for attempted net casting? Why are you so sure the agents would have stopped him? You place an awful lot of faith in so called authority figures. Actually I wish more were like you.
So this whole issue is the media’s fault and they do it to push our buttons?? Sorry but my button goes unpushed.
The story was published so we would read it?? Well duh yeah! Max I think that is what most news media does… report the news>
Okay, Godsmack… so you are with John. Question is, were either of you with the federal agents? Think about what you are saying. Obviously if they could have stopped it, they would have been able to do so, and still ticket him. So I’m sure if they had been able to stop him, they would have.
And actually, it wouldn’t have been Channel 10 that grossly mistated this story… it would be the Associated Press. But the media does this type of thing often. They know what pushes our buttons. If they had written it as it had happened they wouldn’t have gotten the reaction they did… People tell me the media is liberal… others tell me it is conservative. Its a business, thats what it is. They are going to write whatever they think will get people to read.
i’m with you John, they watched him do this and waited until the task was completed before fining him?!?! its obvious that the whales life didn’t matter to them, just the fine. what a joke.
and wdmso - we get your point.
Even more damning. The Feds observed him doing something they knew was wrong but let him do it anyway. They only cared about the pinch not the whale. Seems to me they had an obligation to the fisherman and the whale to stop him from setting the nets.
If I was a humpback whale, I would put my money on the fisherman rescuing me. I say this because my brother was scalped by a NOAA boat doing over 20 knots. Don’t you silly humans remember anything?????
So what you’re saying here is that channel 10 grossly misstated the story? OK, believable—after all, they’ve done it before.
There were two federal fisheries observers who watched as Eldridge set gill nets with whales nearby, according to the U.S. Attorney press release. He wasn’t able to disentangle the whale but cut his fishing lines, which freed the whale to swim away still entangled in 25 to 30 feet of sinking fishing line, the press release states.
read the whole story the guy was wrong to set his net when whales where in the area.
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091001/NEWS/910010317
People take some time and do some research
before you bash the Our Government and get the whole story. herse what they dont tell you. There were two federal fisheries observers who watched as Eldridge set gill nets with whales nearby, according to the U.S. Attorney press release. He wasn’t able to disentangle the whale but cut his fishing lines, which freed the whale to swim away still entangled in 25 to 30 feet of sinking fishing line, the press release states.
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